Container opener



April 12 1927.

J. c. THQM CONTAINER OPENER Filed Jan. 9, 1925 INVENTOR JPIMEJ C. 77f0/v7 Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

JAMES C. THOM, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ABSIGNOB T GOMBINATION'HACHINE COH- PANY, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CONTAINER OPENER.

Application fled January This invention is an improvement in contamer openers, and with respect to its more specific features to openers for containers of cigarettes, small cigars, and like articles.

Containers for cigarettes, small cigars and like, products, are usually com osed of a slide for the immediate receptlon of the articles, a shell in which the slide is movable, and an outer wrapper enclosing the shell, which wrapper may be of foil, paper, or both, usually water proofed to retain the contents in the desired condition as regards moisture content and the like.

The shell is open at one end, the end which is the top of the package usually, and in order to preserve the contents as nearly as possible in their original condition, while the goods are being used, it is desirable that the wrapper be broken' at the open end of the shell, and CV81 only a suflicielt extent to permitwithdrawal of the s 1 e.

This restricted breaking. of the wrapper requires more time. and patience than is usually given to the operation, and as a consequence, the wrapper, or a large portion thereof, is practically destroyed, so far as its usefulness as a protector is concerned, and the package is left in an unsightly condition, and with its contents open to the deterioration.

An object of the present invention is to provide simple and inexpensive means in connection with packages of the character in question, by means of which the wrapper may be broken or weakened along selected lines, to provide an opening for the withdrawal of the slide.

Another object is the provision of means so constructed and arranged, that the performance of its intended function releases it from the packa e.

Another object is the provision of means which in no way changes the character of the package, and which does not alte'r or interfere with the usual method of packing the articles.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other ob ects as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, apd pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being 9, 1825. Serial No. 1,459.

understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, w thin the scope of the claims,

may be resorted to without departing from package.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the openmg means.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a package of cigarettes. The packa e comprises the contamer proper compose of a shell 1 and a slide 2, which may be of any usual or suitable character. .The cigarettes indicated at 3 are laced within the slide, which is then inserte within the shell, and the container is enclosed in an outer wrapping 4 of any character, as

for instance foil, foil and paper, orthe like.

The outer wrapper is usually moisture proofed, to preserve the contents of the packagefrom the'atmos heric changes, and to obtain accessto the side, so that it may be withdrawn to expose the contents of the package, it is onl necessary to break the wrapper at one en of the slide.

One end of the slide is open, usuall the end which will be at the top of the pac ge, and at this end the mechanism for weakening or breaking the wrapper is arranged, the said mechanism being normally inoperative, to break or weaken the wrapper until cooperating pressure is brought to bear upon the outer surface of the wrapper.

The said mechanism is in the form of a plate 5 of rigid or substantially rigid sheet material, as for instance metal, celluloid, or the like, and the said plate is of'a size oorrespondmg approximately to that of the shell end.

Before the wrapper is sealed, the plate 5 is placed within the o 11 end, abutting against the slide and the ell. The wrapper is then closed amL sealed, leaving the plate in place, and inoperative to affect the wrapper until pressure is exerted u n the wrapper against the edges of the p ate.

By means of the thumb, the wra per may be sutliciently weakened, or entire broken along the edge of the plate, so that e entire end of the wrapper may be removed. Or if desired, the weakening may be along one side edge and the ends of the late, leaving a portion of the wrap r to arm a hinge. In either case, the brea ing of the wrapper rmits the removal of the plate, which, its

unction served, ma be discarded.

The edge of the p ate may be serrated, as indicated at 6, or the edge may be beveled to form a blunt cuttinglsidge. A cuttin edge is not however, a lutely essentia since the edge of the plate provides also a guide for the thumb nail, which may be used to break the wrapper, the plate edge serving as a guide.

The improved opener provides a very simple inexpensive and convenient means to open the end of a ackage, along selected lines inoperative wit out cooperative external pressure. If desired the plates may be provided with suitable display matter, referring to the goods contained within the package, or to other goods of the same manufacturer.

While the improved opener is shown in connection-with a package of cigarettes, it will be understood that it is equally useful and equally adapted for use with packages containing commodities of any character.

While the 0 ner is shown as occupying substantially t area of the end of the package, it isobvious that it might be of a size to occupy only a portion, of its area, as for instance one end of the said area. This would permit the user to tear oil a portion only of the end of the package,-

thereby to expose the ends of one or more cigarettes.

'pzckage underlying the wrapper, said 0 I claim:

1. A co'mmodityfpackage includin an enclosing wrapper -o aper, or the 11 e, and an opener at one en of the package underlying the wrap r, said opener having an area substantia y that of the cross-section of the package, and presenting a resistant cutting-edge coextensive with a wall of the package, which, upon the application of external pressure upon said wall of the package at the said end, will cause the cutting edge of .the opener to sever the wrapper along said wal to facilitate opening 0 the package.

2. Acommodity package includinga wrapper of paper or the like enclosing the commodity, and an opener at one end of the ner ing of an area substantia 1y that o the cross section of the package and presenting at each face of the package a firm resistant edge against which the wra per may be out without bodily movement 0 the opener and while the opener is firmly held in place said opener being a rigid plate with serrated cutting edges.

3. ha commodity package including a shell, a slide, and a wrapper of paper or the like enclosin the shell and slide, an opener at one end 0 the lpackage between the wrapper and the she of an area substantial that of the cross section of the shell, and resenting at each face of the package a. rm resistant edge against which the paper may be cut by external pressure at the opener edge without bodily movement of the opener, and while the opener is firmly held in place, said opener being a rigid plate with serrated cutting edges.

Si ed at Chicago, in the county of Cook, and tate of Illinois, this 5th day of January A. D. 1925. 7

JAMES C. THOM. 

